Grain-drier



(No Model) 5 Sheets--Sheet 1.

RL S. JENNINGS.-

GRAIN DRI ER. I N0.Z95,643'. Patented Mar. 25, 1884.

W. itnesses (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

. R. s. JENNINGS.

r I GRAIN DRIER. No. 295,643. N Patented Mar. 25, 1884.

W itnesses z Inventor N. FEIERS. Phnmmbo rav er. Wash] n nnnnn c.

5 sneak-sheet s.

(No Model.) v

, B. S,- JENNINGS.

GRAIN DRIER.

Patented Mar. 25, 1884.

lu lin Inventor v Witnesses I Attorney.

(No Model.) 5. Shets$heet 4.

R. S. JENNINGS.

GRAIN DRIER. No; 295,643.

PatentedMar. 25, 1884;

w. PETERS. Phnwuma mwv. Washington, 0. c

(No Model.) v 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

R. S. JENNINGS.

, GRAIN DRIER.

.No. 295,643. Patented Mar. 25,1884.

N4 PETERS, Phowumc n fiar. Walhinglon. u c.

UNITE STATES PATENT FFICE.

GRAIN-DRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 295,643, dated March 2 5, 1884.

Application filed May 7, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern! Be it known that I, RALPH S. JENNINGS, a citizen of the United States, residingat Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State ofMaselevation, partly in section. Fig. 4 shows a modified form of apparatus, partly in side elevation and partly in section on the line 3 y, Fig. 5. Fig. 5 "is a partial section taken transversely through Fig. 4.. Fig. 6 shows another modified form of machine adapted to carry out my improved process. Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the same on line 2 2.

In Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 of the drawings I have shown'a drying apparatus as being contained in and inclosed by a casing, having the outside walls, A A A A and bottom B, there being in and across the casing several partitions or floors, as shown at O and C, which and the purposes for which will be hereinafter described. These parts, however, may be varied as purposes and occasion may require. Preferably I subdivide the drying-chamber proper into a number of smaller compart ments, the subdivision being effected by means of a series ,oflongitudinal partitions, D D, and a series of transverse partitions, E E. I These may be made in any suitable way; but when the apparatus is constructed in the manner to be hereinafter described there is no weight upon nor strain experienced by these partitions, and therefore they may be made of light cheap material. WVithin the compartments F thus provided are situated the grain-holding cylinders G. These are made of metal, preferably iron of the character of that used for boilers. In the metal there are formed comparatively large apertures, as numerous as possible, in order that a very free circulation of air can be permitted. Then, to prevent the passage of grain through the apertures, a light wire cloth or gauze is placed over them, this being applied in sheets to the metal cylinders. The metal cylinders give a strong uni- Fig. 3 is a side inders there is arranged an air-exhaust pipe,

H H H H". The part Hto wit, the lower part of the lower portion, which is situated within the cylinder Gis made in a manner similar to that above described for making said cylinder G-that is to say, it is formed of sheet metahprovided with large and numerous apertures, and is covered with a sheet of wire-gauze or equivalent material adapted to prevent the passage of the grain and permit the free passage of air. At the upper end the part H is unperforated for a short distance from the top downward. The part H below the cylinder G is unperforated', and in the construction shown it passes down through 'the partitions or floors 0 O, terminating inthe part H through which the air is delivered into the exhaust-chamber I. The upper end of the tube 11 H H is closed, so that air will be drawn through the perforations.

Each of the apartments F is provided with a hinge or removable cover, F, which is adapted to seal its compartment perfectly tight to prevent the passage of air either in or out. It will be seen that all of the compartments F together form a general drying-chamber which has communication with the chamber J below, through which the air is supplied for the purpose of drying. Preferably I employ both a blast-fan, as

shown at K, and a suction or exhaust fan, as

shown at L, the last fan communicating with the chamberJ, and the suction-fan with the chamber I. i

' When the apparatus is to be put into operation, the cyliders Gr G are charged with the grain which is to be treated, the door lids or covers F are all tightly closed, and the fan or fans set in operation. The result is to force a strong current of air up around the cylinders, in through the grain which they contain, down through the interior pipes, H H, and out through the exhaust-chamber I, the air, in its passage through and in contact with the grain, taking up and carrying away the moisture. After the grain has been sufficiently treated, it can be allowed to escape from or be positively withdrawn from theholding-cylinder in any suitable way. Preferably I allow it to escape by drawing or rocking the doors 9 or using their equivalents, which permit the dried grain to fall into the chamber J, the bottom 0 of which is inclined sufficiently to throw the grain to one side, where it passes into a hopper or chute, .0 from which it can be taken to any suitable receptacle. This chamber, it will be, seen is entirely out off from the exhaust-chamber and from the exhaust currents of air.

Instead of the form of apparatus which I have shown-that is to say, instead of having hinged doors or covers, as at F-and instead of intermittently charging and emptying the cylinders, they may be continuously fed through a tight top and be continuously emptying by suitable devices at the bottom.

WVith a machine constructed in the manner which I have described, the drying of the grain can be effected much more rapidly and uniformly than with any of the machines or appliances heretofore used with which Iam acquainted. I can so arrange the mass of grain that the air shall have but a short dis tance to pass in traversing the mass. fore I-can, immediately after the air becomes charged with moisture, remove it from contact with the grain, allowing a fresh supply of the latter to rush in and take the place of that which has been loaded and withdrawn. To accomplish this main object (to wit, the with drawing of the air from the grain immediately after it is charged with moisture,) I prefer to construct the apparatus of substantially the following dimensions: The interior chambers or apartments, F F, are thirty inches square. The whole drying-chamber is twenty-five feet high, fifty feet long, and twenty-five feet wide. The cylinders G are twenty-five feet long and about twenty-four inches in diameter, and the exhaust-pipes H H are about eight inches in 7 diameter; It will be seen that when the parts are constructed and related thus the path of the air in traversing the mass of grain is only about one foot long. From practical experiment I have found that this gives the most advantageous results, as the air is held long enough in contact with the grain to become loaded or charged with moisture, and yet as soon as it is charged it immediately leaves the grain and no longer comes into contact with it.

In Figs. 4: and 5 I have shown a form of apparatus embodying the features above mentioned as to continuous feed and discharge. In this case a fan or hopper, O, is used situ- There ated above the drying-apartment. In the bottom there can be arranged a series of concutoff to prevent the outward escape of the air in that direction.

At the bottom of the holders G there are arranged one or more conveyer trunks or troughs, at R, each provided with a shaft, R, and worm 9'. lower end of each holder, from which the grain can gradually pass to the conveyer-trough below. The speed at which the shafts Q and R revolve should be so regulated that the grain, in its downward passage, shall be retained in the holders long enough to effect the desired result. The speed can be changed according to the character of the material, and this may be effected by means of reverse cone-pulleys, as at T T, through which the power may be initially imparted. So, too, the speed of the upper conveyers may be varied relative to that of the lower ones by means of similar mechanism, as shown at T T T".

It will be readily seen that machines of more or less modified character can be employed to carry out the process. Thus, in Figs. 6 and 7, I have shown how it can be applied to a mass of grain which is rectangular in crosssection instead of circular, as above described. In this case the receiver is formed of two parallel perforated screens, G H, arranged to hold between them the material to be treated. Upon one side a blast of air is delivered through a trunk, Q, into a chamber, F, toward one of the screens. On the other side an exhaust is caused through the trunk R communicat= ing with another chamber by the side of the opposite screen. The same effect can be produced here as with a machine of the other style described-that is to say, I can so relate the volume of air to the mass of grain as to have the air leave the grain immediately after being charged with moisture. Thus, in treating corn under average conditions, it is desirable to have the screens G H about one foot apart, for I can employ air at a temperature very low compared to what is ordinarily used in a drying apparatus, and yet employ it economically, as it is taken away immediately after doing all the work of which it is capable.

lated, as the screens-can be moved farther At 1* there is an opening in the IIO having cleats or projecting arms (12 passing through the casing, which, by means of pins g or otherwise, can be locked at any desired .point. Stationary plates s,.attached to the outside of the casing, can receive the pins Q3, and thus firmly hold the screens. The slots 5, through which the arms qpass, can be covered by means of slides 25. The screens can be arranged to have all the parts of one simultaneously moved towardand from each other by means of suitable mechanism, as by screwshafts with opposite threads respectively engaging with nuts secured to the screens.

In each case above described it will be seen that the process consists in so adjusting the diameter of grain traversed by the air that the air shall instantly leave the grain after becoming charged, this being made possible by interposing the grain in one or more masses of uniform diameter between the air-blast and air-suction mechanism.

I am led to believe that many of the devices which have been used heretofore for the drying of grain have been unsuccessful through one or both of two features. On the one hand, use has beenmade of grain holders or in Patent N 0.38, 191, to J. B. WVheeler, April 14, 1863. On the other hand, use has been made of stationary holders for the grain, such holders having been even cylindrical, vertically arranged, and perforated; but these have attained but little success from the fact, which I have observed, that the berries of wheat, I

when in a mass, require the peculiar effect of a positively-acting fan for exhausting the air upon one side of the mass, in order that the air may be compelled to pass th rough in finelydivided currents.

I do not wish tobe understood as claiming, broadly, a stationary cylindrical holder for the grain, on the one hand, nor, on the other hand, do I claim the forcing of a current of air through an irregular mass of grain by an exhaust.

W hat I claim is 1. In a grain-drier, the combination of a perforated tube for holding the grain, surrounded by a sheet of netting or reticulated fabric, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination of the outer bin or casing having the drying-compartment subdivided into smaller compartments, the perforated grain-holders, situated, respectively, within the smaller compartments, the tubes within the grain-holders, and the air-chamber communicating with all of said interior tubes, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the outer bin or casing having the drying-chamber subdivided into smaller compartments, the perforated grain-holders, situated, respectively, within said compartments, the chamber below the drying-chamber adapted to receive the grain after treatment, and a separate exhaust-chamber communicating with the interior of the grain-holders 'in the drying-compartments, substantially as set forth.

4. The herein-described method for drying grain or other material in a mass or masses of small particles, it consisting in arranging said mass in a body having similar diameters at all points, allowing air to pass into said mass from one side on the lines of said diameters, and exhausting said air from the other side on the lines of said diameters by a positivelyacting suction-fan, substantially as set forth..

5. The combination of the main bin or casing, the series of independentl'y-arranged i11 terior grain-holders, means for supplying air thereto, means for exhausting the air therefrom, a bin or reservoir which supplies all of said holders, means for continuously introducing the material into the said holders, and means for continuously withdrawing it therefrom, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RALPH s. JENN InGs.

Witnesses:

GEO. Porn, WV. B. S. GAY. 

